Key-ring



(No Model.)

A. 'W.ENGBL.

KEY RING.

No. 510,247. v Patented Dec. 5, 1893.

' key ring.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT W. ENGEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KEY-RING.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 510,247, dated December 5, 1893.

Application filed April 1'7, 1893- Serial No. 470,788. (No model.)

To ttZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT W. ENGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain newand usefullmprovements in Key-Rings, which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is adirect view, plan or elevation of one form of myimproved Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same with a slight modification of form. Fig. 4 is a similar View with another slight modification. Fig. 5 is a similar view of a form like that shown in Fig. 2, exceptthat the wire is lapped on the opposite side of the stem in forming a loop at the upper end.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a device on which keys and like articles may be strung in the usual manner of securing such devices on a key ring, for which reason I have called it a key ring, the device being formed of a wire coiled, looped, lapped and crossed in a manner particularly hereinafter described, so that the spring of the material causes the coils or coiled stems and knobs to abut with considerable pressure upon each other at their several intersections, and so that there shall be several such intersections, all of which must be passed by the key after it has once been placed in security before it can escape from the device.

One specific purpose of the invention is to provide a structure which, without departure from the feature above referred to but with only modifications of the proportions of the several coils, loops and stems, may be made in the semblance of a variety of script letters, so that the ring may be gotten up in monogram so that each user may carry a ring having the initial form of his own name. The device is also adapted to simulate other characters.

Fig. 1 represents the device worked in the form of a capital letter S. Fig. 2, which is the same device seen from the opposite side, conforms it will be seen to the music signature, commonly called the treble clef.

The mechanical features of the device may be understood from the descriptions of this form, which comprises the stem A,forrned into a loop A at the upper end, the Wire lapping the stem and extending in the spiral comprising the members A A and A said spiral crossing the stem at three points which are on alternate sides of the stem,counting along the stem itself. That is to say, the first crossing or intersection a and the vnext crossing along the line of the spiral a being at the same side of the stem, while the next crossing a along the line of the spiral falling on the stem intermediate the other two, is upon the opposite side. The spiral terminates in the knob A, which abuts against the side of the stem intermediate the intersections a and a the point of contact being about ninety degrees from each of the other intersections. The curve A constitutes the region of safety in'the device, and the key reaches this region by being entered between the knob A and the stem, thelatter being pressed aside by the finger pushing against the knob A to make easyentrance, the key then passing by the intersection of around the curve A, by the intersection a and reaching the region of safety, as stated, in the curve A To escape from the device, the key must pass from the region of safety, forcing its way past three binding points, viz: the two intersections a and a and the contact of the knob A with the stem.

I have applied the same letters of reference to corresponding portions of the spiral and stem of the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the only difference, mechanically considered, being the omission of the loop A which may be considered as an appendage affording merely a convenience for detaching the device from a chain, and an additional length to the stem which contributes toits elasticity and the durability of the device under the action of frequently inserting and removing keys. The form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is in this respect, therefore, the preferred form.

I claim 1. A key ring made of a continuous piece of spring wire or rod comprising the stem, and a spiral from one end of the stem and coiled in the plane of the latter, the lapping or intersections of the spiral upon the stem being alternately upon opposite sides counting said intersections or lappings along the length of the stem, such spiral terminating and the spiral terminatingin an end abutting in an end abutting against the stem: snbstanagainst the stem: substantially as set forth. tially as set forth. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 2. A key ring composed of wire or rod and my hand, at Chicago, Illinois, this 7th day of 5 consisting of astem,the wire being bent upon April, 1893, in the presence of two witnesses. l5

itself to form a loop at the end of the stem i and thence shaped in a spiral substantially in i ENGEL' the plane of the stem, the crossings or inter- Witnesses:

sections of the spiral upon the stem being JEAN ELLIOTT,

ro alternately upon opposite sides of the latter, CHAS. S. BURTON. 

